Basic Plane (EASY)

Fold it in half by bringing the long sides together (to form a skinny rectangle).

With the fold at the bottom, take the upper right, open corner and bring it down to create a triangle shape (with the point touching the fold).

Flip the model over and do the same thing with the upper left corner.

Push up the triangle "wings" and, holding on to the long fold, toss. Whee!

More Fun

Color your planes with stars, make passenger windows and doors, draw in a small pilot and crew. Use different types of paper and have plane races to see which ones fly farther.

Deluxe Plane (HARDER)

Make a Basic Plane.

With the wings flattened down, take the triangle fold and bring it to the long plane fold to create a skinny triangle.

Flip the model over and do the same thing on the other side.

Experiment with different folds--try making the wings even more narrow, or take the single edge of the triangle of the wings and bend it up or down to create wind resistance. Another experiment could be bending the nose of the plane to flatten it out; or bending the tail to make more complicated drags and folds.

More Fun

As with the Basic Plane, decorate your jets and race them. If you are playing with an older child, paper clip the nose of the plane underneath the wings (at the long plane fold) or try gluing cardboard reinforcements to the wings and then taping pennies, one to each wing, to see how they affect flight.

More Fun

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Fortune Teller (HARDEST)

1. Start with a square piece of paper. Since you'll want to write on it, you probably want blank sides.

2. Fold it in half to make a rectangle, and then again on itself to make a square.

3. Unfold your creases back to its original shape.

4. Now, fold the paper in half diagonally to make a triangle, and then again on itself to make a smaller triangle.

5. Unfold your creases back to its original shape again.

6. Take each of the points of the square, and fold them in to the middle in small triangles to turn the larger square into a diamond.

7. Flip the diamond over so the triangles are against your folding surface. Now you have a smooth square again.

8. As with #6, take each point of the new square, and fold it in to the middle to make a new, smaller diamond.

9. Now flip the diamond over again so its four square "pockets" are facing you.

10. Fold the Fortune Teller in half as a rectangle, with two pockets on each side.

11. Here's the (slightly) tricky part: With the pocket openings at the bottom, slide your left hand index finger into the pocket furthest away from you, and your left hand thumb finger into the pocket closest to you. Do the same with your right hand.

12. Then, push on the fold to bring your fingers-points to touching, like you are making the letter "O." You might have to play with the folds to make them more flexible and loosen up the Fortune Teller, but ultimately all fingers should be "touching" in the center.

13. Now you can play! On the four outside flaps/squares, write a different color.

14. On each of the eight inside triangles, write a number.

15. Open the diamond points/flaps. Under each of the 8 triangles, write a silly saying. Some we like:

You will have good luck tomorrow You're a funny bunny Today will be a great day for you You get to choose what's for dinner Tonight you don't have to do any chores

16. Fold the Fortune Teller back up and slide your fingers in the pockets again to play.

How to Play

Pinch all your fingers together and ask someone to choose a color. If she chooses "Red" then you spell out that word by moving your fingers apart so the index fingers stay together and the thumbs stay together, and then alternating so the left fingers stay together and the right fingers stay together. Each movement counts as one letter. Once you stop you'll see four numbers showing up. Ask the person to choose a number, and again count it out, alternating finger movements. Finally, ask the person to choose a number, and then pull up the flap to read their fortune.

More Fun

Before you write on it, flip the Fortune Teller upside down and use it as a "cootie catcher"--or to hold paperclips on a desk, small candies on a birthday table, little barrettes on a dresser.